Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-08-11
POOR LENA hARRiCAN.
She j. Dead. and the Coroner Holds An In
quest, Charging Death Z" starvation
The Post Mortem and the Verdict.

She j. Dead. and the Coroner Holds An In
quest, Charging Death to Starvation
The Post Mort~m and the Verdict.
The coroners inquest over the Harriean
child that died on Monday at the county
iniirmary, where it had been taken from its
cruel and unnatural mother some days ago,
WAS held last evening at his Office on Fisher
street The post mortem that had been or
dered TO be made by Drs. Russell and Mil
Ter was completed, and the report made in
writing.
There were five witnesses examined and
they had all seen the child when alive.
Policemen Johnston and Thompson had
been called TO the house of the mother of
the child and had seen il in its dirty condi-
tion.
Mr.. J. {. Holloway, president of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals and Children, told that he mad
been notiried OF the case and investigated
il, resulting in its removal 10 the Children'S
Home.
DIR. Miranda had seen the
child in company with Chief of Police Am
bruse and when in its worst condition. he
had directed the mother what to do for the
child and no notice was taken or improve
ment in the child's treatment followed. The
child is dead and out of its misery. and
now lust what action will be taken against
the cruel mother by the society is yet TO be
seen.
Below is given the report of the post
mortem and the coroner's verdict, which
ave very Interesting:
THE DOCTORS STATEMENT.
To J. NJ. Bennett. Coroner Of Clark County:
As per vour request We held post-mor-
ten on the body of tie Harrigan child at
the Childres' home Oh August 9, at about
o'clock p. m.
We found as follows:
The ,ittle female babe. Lena Harrigan.
WAS seven months old, height twenty-three
inches ,.j1Or TnOrtCs, well marked. The
body entire. was greatly emaciated, weigh
ing not t. exceed ten pounds. while in
well fed child of the same size and age. the
weight would have been twenty To twenty
five pounds. The external evidence was
mat of child starved TO death.
Internally, the lungs, heart. stomach.
liver. spleen, bowels. kidneys and bladder
were all IN normal health. except As here
tofore stated. We found the liver slightly
enlarged, but not diseased. and not of suf-
lcleut importance 10 dCCbunt lbi uVdtu VI
emaciated condition. The stomach was
small. and the wall thinned: the intestines
pale. shrunk and empty. containing little
food or fecal water. When examined un-
der the magnifying glass. the wasting of
the coats of the inteStines was well
marked. The Omentum was scarcely WIS.,
ible and quite destitute of fat. as was also
every part of the body. All tissues Of the
body showed the marked evidence of in
anition. The brain and all the vital or
gans showed an absence of disease. We
are therefore of the opinion as follows:
First-That there was no disease Of the
body of the child sufficient to cause death
or Ia account for the extreme emanciation
as exhibited, and that the stomach and
other organs were in a healthy condition.
which. if proper care and attention had
been given, the child nature would have
acted kindly.
Second-From the fact that all the ap-
pearauces of the child incluced all those
features which the best special authorities
assign as death from starvation. 1t is our
opinion that death came from neglect of
supply of food. and that the child has suf-
tered for many days and weeks, and died
from starvation and not otherwise.
Signed, l.. T.. RUSSELL NJ. ID.
JoHN NJ. MILLER. NJ. ID.